Washing-machine



L. F. FAY.

WASHING'MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9. 1920.

1,390,520. l Patentedsept- 13, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

1 gym;

L. F. FAY. I WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB: 9 1920. i 1,390,520. PatentedSept 13,1921

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L. F. FAY.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, I920.

1,890,520. e ep 13,1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9. I920.

1,390,52Q Patented Sept. 13, 1921.,

I HEETS-SHEET 4. T f .1 1.

Juana vio a Cum HIM omen sraras LEO F. FAY, ECOBSE, MICHIGAN.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 13, 1921.

Application filed February 9, 1920. Serial No. 357,215.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LE0 F. FAY, citizen of the United States, residing at Ecorse, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Washing-Machines, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyin drawings, which form a part of this spec' cation.

In the operation of washing machines of the type wherein the clothes are agitated by a reciprocating member it is desirable that the parts be so disposed as to insure proper circulation of the washing fiuid through the clothes while the latter are constantly agitated and subjected to impacts so delivered by the mechanism that they do not tend to become bunched or matted together. It is also desirable that the mechanism be so arranged to operate smoothly and easily while at the same time it is shielded from contact with the washing fluid.

This invention relates to a Washing ma chine of a type wherein the clothes are placed in a stationary retainer and are agitated by yieldingly operating a movable member or beater which not only strikes or paddles the clothes but also forces water and air through them in such a way as to effectively cleanse them, the parts being so disposed that' the washing liquid does not get upon the driving mechanism of the machine while at the same time, sim licity of construction is combined with eciency of operation.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a machine that embodies features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through the clothes'container or tub, with parts shown in elevation.

Fi 3 is a view in horizontal section of the evice taken on or about line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

ig. 4 is a view in detail, partially in section and artially in elevation, of a drivmechanism for the agitator or beater.

Tig. 5 is a view in section taken at right I angles to the plane of Fig. 4, showing the driving mechanism in detail.

the safety clutch taken on Fig. 6 is a view in detail, partially in section and partially in elevation, of one form of wringer driving mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view taken on or about line 7-7 of Fig. 6 showing means for securing the wringer in any desired angular relation to the rest of the mechanism.

Flg. 8 is another view in detail of the adjustable wringer connection.

Fig. 9 is a view in detail of a reverse clutch driving mechanism for a wringer, taken on or about line 9-9 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view through or. about line 1o 10 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 11 is a view in detail, taken on or about line 1111 of Fig. 2 of the means for adjustably securing the beater to the beater spindle.

As herein shown in preferred form, a clothescontainer A which is preferably cylindrical, is suitably mounted on a frame or supporting members a that are designed to combine strength with lightness and are carried by casters a A removable cover a closes the container and a drain cock a is likewise provided.

An annular beater or agitator B with a convex outer wall 6 and cylindrical inner wall b has a central head or convex dome b apertured as at b to provide for the efllux of water and bored to be adjustably secured on an upright beater spindle b. .As one preferred form of adjustable connection, a cross pin F2 passes through the hub b of the crown b and through any one of a series of apertures b in the spindle b, bein held in desired position by a spring finger 8 swinging on a pivot b of a lug b formed on the hub. Preferably, the beater is integrally formed although it may be otherwise made.

- The annular cavity formed by the walls openings 6 and downwardly along the face of the wall I) so as to insure ood circulation throughout the body of iquid of the tub.

If desired a plurality of relatively small apertures may e provided 1n the wall b, for the escape of air, to relieve the pressure Ell Sill

within the annular cavity though it is not essential.

The spindle is reciprocable through an elongated sleeve aiproperly mounted in the tub, or container and provided with a stuffing box or gland a to prevent leakage.

A hollow sleeve b is pivoted as at I) to the lower end of the spindle 6* of which it forms a continuation. A motor C is suitably supported as by members a secured to the supports a with its main shaft 0 connected through a universal joint 0 and a safety clutch c with a worm drive shaft d mounted in a worm casing D suit ably held by supports al on the main frame below the tub.

The -"universal joint is of ,conventional'; type and the safety clutch may be of any suitable form but as herein indicated, con-- sists of a disk rotated by the universal joint 0 and provided with radially disposed springs c that are adjustably compressed by screws 0 so as to engage on driving balls 0 socketed in depressions 1n the worm shaft cl whereby the latter is normally driven but is released when undue resistance, which otherwise might wreck the mechanism, is encountered.

A worm d on the shaft 45, in turn rotates a transverse shaft d which is longitudinally reciprocable as well as rotatablein the casing l). Reciprocation is accomplished by a shifting lever 03* operating a fork d that embraces a shift collar d on the shaft of whereby a tenoned end portion d of the shaft may be moved in or out of the trictional engagement with the slotted end of a sleeve hub on which the driving wheel l] is keyed. This wheel is preferably of suiticient weight to act as a fly wheel for the mechanism. i

A pitman rod 6 couples the fly wheel E and a lever c that oscillates on a pin a, while its otherwise free end is connected to a piston rod 6 The latter is reciprocable in the beater spindle extension I) and carries a piston head 6 which is yieldingly held between the fixed head of the sleeve b and a removable head 6 by opposing springs b and b. A forked member 6 either integral or bolted to the spindle extension I) may be provided to straddle the lever 6 to prevent any tendency of the spine dle extensions from rotating upon its own axis.

A burner l is provided for heating the water in the tub.

In operation, the motor oscillates the spin die 6 through the medium of the safety clutch and the clutch by which the driving wheel is thrown into gear, and efiects the necessary reciprocation of the beater B to produce the desired result.

The wo shaft d is likewise connected suitably by any preferred form ct driving mechanism to the main roll shaft of a wring er 15. While the mechanism herein shown is perhaps the best fitted for the purpose, it is not described in detail as it does not per 86 form a part of the invention. The wringer itself, which is thus operated by the same motor as the washing heater, is mounted on an upright tubular support G of the machine by a fitting H and may be locked in desired angular position by means of a spring-pressed keeper or latch bolt 9 in the hub h of the fitting which snaps into any one of a series of apertures in the support 9.

As a result of this construction a washing machine is obtained which edectively cleanses the clothes placed therein without danger to them, as the yielding stroke given the battle or beater prevents this. The peculiar annular shape of the beater doesnot permit the clothes to become matted or knotted together at any one point and at the same time it causes an even circulation of the water at all points, the air which is trapped in the upper portions of the annular chamber acting to e ect the water forcibly through the garments and thereby to aid in the cleansing operation.

The arrangement out the bearing of the spindle with a length to minimize leakage together with the housing of the mechanism below the tub, avoids any deleterious edect to the mechanism from contact with the washing liquid of the tub and thereby increases the eiliciency of the device.

Obviously, changes in the details of construction may be had without departing from the spirit of my invention and I do not care to limit myself to any particular form of arrangements of parts.

What I claim is:

l. A washing machine comprising a clothes container, a heater in the container, a spindle extending through the bottom of the container and connected with the beater, a motor located below the container and a yieldable device connected with the motor and with the spindle and located wholly below the container, said yieldable device comprising a cylinder, a piston rod having a head operating within the cylinder and springs located within the cylinder and yieldably engaging the piston head above and below the same.

2. A. washing machine comprising a clothes container, a beater having an outer annular cavity, an inner water circulating well extending from the top to the bottom of the heater and provided above the annular cap with radial outlets and having inlets loof the receptacle, a motor secured below the.

receptacle and mechanism connecting the till nseaeao motor and member for reciprocating the latter.

3. In a washing machine, a clothes beater provided with an outer, annular downwardly open air and water cavity and an inner circulating well extending above the said cavity and covered by a deflecting dome provided with lateral efliux openings, said well forming an open chamber from the dome to the bottom of the beater.

4. In a washing machine, a beater having an outer annular downwardly open air and water retaining chamber and an inner circular well extending from the bottom of the beater to a point above the cavity and provided with a convex dome having lateral efflux openings, said well forming a chamber from the bottom of the beater to the dome,

an upright reciprocating spindle extending through the dome and means for locking the dome and upright member in desired, ad-

justed relation.

5. In a washing machine, a beater comprising an inner cylindrical shell provided at a point between its top and bottom with inlet perforations and having a dome-shaped top, said shell being also provided at the base of the dome with radial outlet openings and an annular flange or wall extending downwardly and outwardly from the shell at a point above the said perforations and forming an outer annular air and water chamber.

6. In a washing machine, a clothes container, a beater comprisin an inner cylindrical shell open at the ottom and provided at the top with a thickened dome having a central upwardly extending sleeve, said shell being provided at the base of the dome with radial outlets and having inlet perforations spaced from the said outlets and a downwardly and outwardly extending flange or wall united with the shell above the said perforations and forming an outer annular air and water cavity and a spindle extending through the. well and secured in the sleeve of the said dome.

7 A I washing machine comprising a clothes container, a circular clothes beater in the container, av spindle longitudinally reciprocable through guide means in the base of the receptacle adjustably secured to the clothes beater, a motor mounted below the receptacle, a sleeve located wholly below the container and pivoted to the lower end of the spindle below the tub, a piston reciprocable in the sleeve, springs in compression each between the piston and a head of the sleeve and operating connections between the motor and piston for reciprocating the latter.

8. A washing machine comprising a clothes container, a clothes beater within'the container, a spindle extending through the bottom of the container and connected with the beater, a sleeve pivoted to the lower end of the spindle and located below and arranged exteriorly of the container, a piston reciprocating in the sleeve, springs each in compression within the sleeve and operating above and below the piston, a lever pivoted to the machine and connected to the piston, a pitman wheel operatively connected to the lever, a motor and driving connections between the motor and the itman wheel.

In testimony whereofl l sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

LEO F. FAY.

Witnesses:

L. E. THOMAS, JOHN CoNsmINE, Jr. 

